Once again, a new Penguin update has been launched. Penguin 2.0 or the Penguin 4 began to work its magic on the afternoon of May 22.

Penguin 2.0 Facts

So, what are the things you should know about the latest update? This can be summed up into four. First off, the new generation Penguin has affected about 2.3% of all English-US queries. 2.3 %, a small number, right? Wrong. Take note that there is an estimated 5 billion Google searches per day. So 2.3% out of that estimated search and what do you get? A LOT. Think back when the very first update was released. Penguin 1.0 affected a total of about 3.1% websites and boy, was everybody disarmed.

Having a problem with managing nutrition? Don’t you worry for Google is setting its sights on your waistline and is aiming to help you with that. Google has just launched a new program last Thursday, May 30, that enables users t o have easy access to nutrition information for more than 1,000 foods. This program will be made available throughout the United States within 10 days.

“Figuring out how to make smart choices about some of our favorite foods can often be a cumbersome and daunting process. So we’re hoping we can make those choices a little bit easier: starting today you will be able to quickly and easily find extensive nutrition information for over 1,000 fruits, vegetables, meats and meals in search.”, nutrition project product manages Ilya Mezheritsky had said.

The list includes basics such as meat and vegetables and some of the more uncommon variety like the chow mein. So whether you simply want to know how much salt is in a glass of tomato juice or you want to know how much fat is in a burrito, Google can provide you with the answers quick and easy.

This program was made possible by Google’s Knowledge Graph which basically brings together all kinds of information from across the web that is not exactly accessible. The graph then helps connect things that are not related. For example, if you are looking for information on “summer squash carbs”, “zucchini” is included in the relevant searches because zucchini s a type of summer squash.

As I have already mentioned, this program is still in progress. However, Google has posted some examples of what the detailed search result will look like when this feature is fully implemented.

It could be said that public health is one of the issues that Google tries to address. In fact, this new feature is actually reminiscent of Google’s 2011 Google Launch of the Body Browser. The company even has a feature that directs suicide-related searches to suicide prevention resources.

Aside from Google, I think it is worthy to note that since 2010, Bing has been featuring some nutrition facts in its search results as well though it’s not as effective as Google is expected to be. The data is also not available through Bing’s natural language queries.

Penguin 2.0 has just been launched as announced by Matt Cutts in the afternoon of May 22. Penguin 2.0 is the fourth Penguin-related launch that Google has done. With this, webmasters and SEOs can expect major changes to the search results. Matt emphasized that about 2.3% English queries will be noticeable impacted by this update. “The change has also finished rolling out for other languages world-wide. The scope of Penguin varies by language, e.g. languages with more webspam will see more impact.” Cutts had written in his blog.

As with every developments, the first thing that always come to mind is what changes will accompany it. Since Penguin 2.0 has just launched, the SEO community’s collective knowledge is still, at best, limited. New data may be revealed after a series of test but at this point, one can only guess at the impact of the newest Penguin development. Before we move on to speculations, let us first dissect the facts leading to the update along with the things that we’ve managed to learn from Penguin 1.0.

What exactly is Penguin 2.0?

Google’s initial Penguin update originally rolled out in April 2012 which was then followed by two data refreshes last year, first in May and the second one in October.

According to Matt Cutts, the new version of Penguin is primarily designed to penalize websites that utilize black hat SEO techniques and reward websites that offer genuine value. The ultimate goal is to cut back on link spamming and hacking, while providing webmasters with the tools to fix hacked sites. Penguin 2.0 aims to help small to mid-sized business that play by the rules and avoids black hat SEO.

Changes You Can Expect with Penguin 2.0

1. Bad news for black hat web spam. Naturally. The next generation Penguin is, after all, more comprehensive than Penguin 1.0 and it will go deeper and have larger impact than the original.

2. Enforcement of guidelines against advertorials. Cutts emphasized that there is nothing exactly wrong with advertorials. It’s just that they don’t want them to be abused for PageRank and linking reasons. So if you are using advertorials, it is recommended that you clearly mark them and that it should be obvious that it is paid advertising.

3. Problematic searches. An example that Cutts particularly gave was regarding porn queries. Unfortunately for those who are in this gap though, Cutts isn’t revealing how they’re dealing with it, just the fact that it will be happening.

4. Devaluing Upstream Linking. Just like in the previous number, there are no specifics regarding this change. But you can be certain that Google is working on making link buying less effective. They also have a couple of ideas for detailed link analysis to tackle this issue.

5. Hacked Sites. Hack detection will be improved and strengthened. Google is looking for ways to let webmasters have access to more specific information to determine whether they are dealing with malware or a hacked site and provide them means to clean it up.

6. Authority. If Google’s algorithms believe you or your site is an authority in a particular area, they want to make sure those sites rank a little bit higher than other sites.

7. Panda. As I’ve already mentioned, the new generation Penguin aims to help small businesses that play by the rules and hopefully, those sites who have previously been impacted by Panda.

8. Cluster of Results. Google is looking into a change where once you have seen a cluster of results from the same site, you will be less likely to see more and more from that same site as you go deeper.

9. Information for Webmasters. As Cutt had said, Google wants to be able to give webmasters more information that is detailed and relevant through webmaster tools.

If you are among those severely affected with the changes, don’t despair. The situation isn’t totally irreversible. There are still certain things that you can do. You just need to work a little harder and be a little bit more diligent.

Conclusion

Once again, there are changes. And you can be sure that this won’t be the last. But the bottom line really is that if your site is focused on high quality content and uses white hat SEO, then you don’t really have to worry about anything. Nice sites don’t finish last.

After months of rumors, YouTube’s pilot program that offers paid subscription channels was finally launched last Thursday, May 9.

YouTube has been building its YouTube partner program since 2007 to enable its content creators to earn revenues for their creativity. With more than 1 million channels generating revenue on YouTube, no wonder that YT recognizes the importance that these very same content creators can offer. One of the most frequent requests that YT gets from the creators is to find means and ways for the creators to have more flexibility with regards to monetizing and distributing content. Hence, the launching of this pilot program for paid subscription channels.

This new service has certainly managed to attract a wide array of impressive partners such as the producers of Sesame Street, the Ultimate Fighting Championship league, and National Geographic Kids, all of which offer full episodes on the video site. The subscription fees start at $0.99 per month. Every channel will be given a 14-day free trial and many offer discounted yearly rates. UFC fans, for example, can see classic fights such as the full version of their first event from UFC’s new Select channel. In the next few weeks, YT will be rolling out paid channels more broadly as a self-service feature for qualifying partners.

The new program not only caters the interests of YT’s partners but the subscribers as well. YT has assured the subscribers that once you subscribe from a computer, you will be able to watch the paid channels on your computer, phone, tablet and TV. But there is more to this program than just that. Subscribers need not worry about being left behind with all the new hype since YT will also make sure that subscribers know what’s new and hot. Said channels will also be ad-free.

Under the Microscope: A Closer Look at the Benefits of YT’s Paid Subscriptions

The launching of this program proves that Google is trying to answer the consumer’s demands to give them what they want to see, when they want to see it. And with Americans increasingly watching video through their laptops, smartphones and tablets as confirmed by a recent study conducted by the Nielsen research firm on the approximately 5 million “zero TV” households without cable television, the paid subscriptions definitely has potential.

Through this program, YT hopes to create a subscription platform that could bring even more great content to YouTube users to enjoy and to provide their partners with another vehicle to generate revenue from their content, beyond the rental and ad-supported models that YT already offers.

Concerns Regarding the New YT Program

Despite the innovation of the program, there are also certain concerns that has to be addressed. YT has traditionally been a free medium, both in its literal and metaphorical sense. With YT, users can view videos of all sorts for free. It also provides for a medium of expression giving amateurs the opportunity to showcase their skills. As such, it is relatively safe to assume that YT will continue giving users free access. This poses certain issues for YT partners. After all, how will there videos look next to amateur videos of cats and babies? There is also the question of whether users will actually pay for the content that they have previously been getting for free and whether the paid subscription channels will stay ad-free. As for the content producers, will they be satisfied with the revenue split generated from subscriptions versus the ads?

Conclusion

The internet and TV worlds are colliding. And this new program launched by YouTube will inevitably make it harder for smaller online subscription-based platforms simply because Google has the resources to make it in the field. But then again, there was always that implied expectation that Google will always be brewing new means and ways to expand itself.

Since the advent of science-fiction, having super advanced technology at arm’s reach has been a thrilling and exciting prospect. As such, the drive to discover means and ways to improve technology has become a never ending endeavor. At first glance, however, it would seem that we are nowhere close to the olden depictions of what the future would look like. There are no hover cars and no spaceships that can travel at the speed of light in sight.

But when we really think about it, there has been a lot of significant advances in the technology. What is perhaps lacking the is the appreciation people have. When something new is discovered, people are left in awe. But after a while, the excitement vanishes and the what was once considered to be something of a marvel is left to be nothing more than just part of the norm. Think about it. Voice-command technology had seemed impossible just some years before. And presently, there are a variety of hybrid transportation in the market. Next on the agenda? Why, wearable technology, of course!

Social media is more than just a passing fad. It is the trend – one that is foreseen to be with us for a very long time. It provides an effective and efficient form of communication, able to contact and respond to friends in real time. Virtually everyone we know has an account in Facebook, Twitter or any other social media.

But other than just for social purposes, social media provides a huge window of opportunity for businesses, small and big ones alike. To be more precise, social media has become a necessary organ in the SEO field.

What is Social Media Marketing?

As the term itself suggests, Social Media Marketing or Social Media Optimization is the usage of a number of different social media outlets and communities to generate publicity; the purpose of which is to increase the awareness of the product, brand or event. There are many types of social media involved. This includes RSS feeds, social news and bookmarking sites, as well as social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook and other video and blogging sites. Like SEO, the goal of Social Media is to generate traffic for a website and extend customer reach.

See the picture above? You’ll know why I chose that picture in a little later. Well, the most “commercialized” day of the year has come. The month of hearts they say and I imagine how other couples would celebrate the day where they express genuine and real love to their partner – Valentines Day. I bet there are those who would ask, when was your most unforgettable Valentines? Some might answer it was most unforgettable when they received something from their partner. Some might say when they went to a place really romantic and that the air was just full of aroma of love. Maybe some might just say they just spent it from the own comfort of their home and had a “catch-up” dinner with their partner because their work schedules we’re too hectic. And some could answer they didn’t have any unforgettable experience on Valentines.

As for me, for four years, I was not able to spend Valentines with Danica since she left for the States . On a physical sense, that is. We do talk and chat via Skype, but come to think of it, if you would ask me about my unforgettable Valentines with Danica, I think I would say I had a “forgettable” Valentines day with her. And you know why? Because Valentines day, the February 14 day, became forgettable when she said yes to me and became my wife. I see everyday is a Valentines day in our married life.

From the moment I wake up and greet her good morning with my “just-got-out-of-the-bed” look, it’s Valentines for me. When I tell her I need to take a shower for me to prepare for work and then she says “kiss first” with her lips pouting in the Skype window, it’s Valentines for me. When I kiss her goodbye in the Skype window for me to start my day and she tells me to drive safe, it’s Valentines for me. When she goes to the mall just to stroll and as she does window shopping, she finds a good walking shorts that she think is good for me, it’s Valentines for me. When she tells me things that bothers her and I discerningly listen to her to sense why she’s feeling troubled, it’s Valentines for me. When we argue because we both have opposing opinions about a certain thing and both of us just decides to drop the subject to discuss it on a later date, it’s Valentines for me. Valentines with my Sweetest is happening everyday for me.

Those common and unseen gestures of caring. Those modest things of adoration left unnoticed. Those things that make you think more of the other and less for yourself. Those are kind of things that can equate genuine, untainted love. Just like a person taking that leap off the cliff to get to the other side where your partner is(remember the pic above?). And it’s happening every single day. I believe those are the things why everybody should see Valentines everyday.

I am not a writer who can play with words and express feelings thru complicated or intricate vocabulary, but one thing is for sure as I write this post, I am letting my heart speak. We don’t need a special day to prove the words “I Love You” to each other. We prove it everyday in the things we do for each other, celebrate it in our laughter and treasure it in moments that a Valentine’s Day or V-card or gift can never fully represent.

Weddings are generally considered to be an event primarily for the bride. Despite the stereotyping, it is undeniable that everyone wants their wedding to be unforgettable not only for the couple themselves but for the friends and loved ones that chose to celebrate the wonderful event with the bride and groom.

Weddings always present that challenge of how to make the whole event unique and personal. This prompts the process of looking for the perfect unique wedding favors that can add that special touch making the wedding a truly unforgettable one.

The choices available when it comes to unique wedding favors are limitless. However, despite the possibilities, it can still be quite difficult to determine which will suit best. To make the selection process easier, you only to keep in mind three different things.

Wedding traditions are as old as weddings itself. Sometimes, new and unique ideas come up making the whole event a lot more interesting and meaningful. One of the many wedding traditions is the conduct of the unity ceremony. Usually, this is done with candles or with the use of colored sands.

When doing the unity candle, the bride and groom each take a lit candle and simultaneously lighting a third bigger candle dubbed as the unity candle. The candles of the bride and groom represent their own individual life and as they light the unity candle together, this represents their new life as one. Once lit, the couple may now blow their individual lights. Others leave it on as a symbol that although they are now living as one, they will not sacrifice their individuality in favor of their unity.

Weddings are wonderful occasions, an event that signifies what is perhaps the most fairy tale-like moment of one’s lives regardless of whether you actually believe in happy endings or not. And what better ways to jump start the preparations than the handing out of wedding invitations?

Wedding invitations are more than just a mere part of the check list. It is an essential element of every wedding event. It not only serves as a proud announcement of the intention of the joining together of the couple as man and wife but also opens up other possibilities with regards to all the other aspects of the preparation.

Weddings are wonderful events. The preparations to make the big day a reality can be quite stressful and difficult. But even then, nothing could ever compare to that magical moment when man and woman say their “I Do’s” and officially become husband and wife. But alas, things do not end there for there is still the reception to consider.

Weddings are as old as time. And with that, it involves certain traditions. One tradition that is virtually used by everyone regardless of religion and ethnicity is perhaps the toasting of wedding flutes. The toasting activity may seem like a small little thing when you compare it to all the other stuff that should be taken care of such as the venue and date. Nevertheless, every wedding should never miss a toast activity. Thus, the role of the wedding flutes should not be taken lightly.

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Yup, that’s me. This blog tends to be an informative website about SEO, especially for newbies on this kind of field, with bits of intriguing and interesting topics that would keep audiences of this blog astonished. This blog is maintained by a web designer/developer, seo analyst and a down-to-earth guy who just loves to help ...